Power up your presentations with storytelling
2024-01-17 12:00 - 13:00 UTC
Stuck in the same old groove when you present information about your business? Want to do something different but not sure how?
Join this introduction to storytelling and learn how to craft compelling and memorable stories for presentations, podcasts and talks that will generate more leads for your business and leave your audiences inspired to work with you.

Google Analytics – Understand how your website performs
2024-01-17 14:00 - 16:00
Google Analytics (Universal and GA4) is a powerful tool that helps you understand how your website is performing. It helps answer lots of questions, including:

Which marketing channels drive traffic to your site?
What pages are users looking at the most?
What impact does mobile have on your potential customers?

During this webinar, we’ll help you understand how Google Analytics is set up and give you an overview of key reports. We’ll also look at other web analytics tools to help you online.

Online Communications Masterclass - Scotland's Agritourism Monitor Farms
2024-01-18 09:00 - 10:00
Join online to learn how to communicate the story of your business and family to both a consumer and industry audience. Claire Taylor our programme communications expert will offer practical advice and support across different communications channels.
OIivia Midgley and Jeremy Buxton will also be contributing. Olivia is a journalist and editor specialising in food, farming, rural affairs, news, features and analysis. She is the Editor at Farmers Guardian. Jeremy formerly worked for Sky as a presenter and returned to farming in 2010 and has spent the last decade adding livestock, opening a campsite, planting agroforestry / fruit trees and in the last year opened a farm shop. Jeremy is skilled in broadcasting, video, and documentaries.
Any farm or crofting business, rural tourism or rural food and drink business can take part.

Hydrogen Q&A and discussion
2024-01-18 10:00 - 11:30
You’re invited to take part in a practical online Q&A and discussion on the topic of hydrogen. This session follows on from the successful, informative event on clean energy and hydrogen-fuelled distilleries that was held at the Arbikie Distillery Experience.
This informal discussion aims to address any questions you have following the event. It’s also an opportunity to get help with signposting ideas, to connect with others in the field or request more information on any aspect of the hydrogen journey. You’re encouraged to bring up any questions, concerns or comments during the discussion.
Scottish Enterprise will give a short overview of the policy background, planning, key barriers, potential projects, storage and our work as a conversation starter. Our sector expert will then be on hand to take your questions.
This event is part of the Tay Cities Clean Growth Initiative, which is part funded through the Tay Cities Region Deal.
The Tay Cities Region Deal is a partnership between the local, Scottish and UK governments and the private, academic and voluntary sectors. It seeks to create a smarter and fairer Angus, Dundee, Fife and Perth and Kinross under the headings Inclusive Tay, Innovative Tay, International Tay, Connected Tay and An Empowered Tay.
The Scottish Government and UK government will each invest up to £150 million in the Tay Cities Region Deal over 10 years, subject to final approval of the robust business cases. This investment has the potential to lever in £400 million of investment over 15 years.
If every project and programme set out in the submission is funded and delivered, up to 6000 job opportunities could be created across the tourism, food and drink, creative industries, eco innovation, digital, decommissioning, engineering, biomedical and health and care sectors.
As of 30 September 2022, more than £219 million of funding was approved for investment by the Joint Committee and over £74 million of government investment has been released.
A total of 677 jobs have been created so far through this investment.
The investment has also resulted in more than £123 million of £400 million in anticipated leverage being secured by projects, with more than £81 million received.
Full information on the deal’s progress in securing investment and jobs can be found in the Annual Performance Report on the Tay Cities Region Deal website. https://www.taycities.co.uk/publications

How to improve your Google search rankings - Part 2: Off page optimisation & technical considerations
2024-01-18 10:00 - 12:00
Join us as we take a further, more detailed look at how the Google search engines indexes and ranks websites based on a number of external (off-page) and technical factors. Implementing this learning will increase your chances of customers discovering your business through Google – the world’s leading research tool.
We will cover:

How to block or control what websites are allowed to ‘index’
The importance of a fast loading mobile website
How security and usability influence Google
What “off-page” optimisation means, and tactics to generate back-links
The importance of Local SEO, and why a “Google Business Profile” is vital

Selling your business masterclass
2024-01-18 10:00 - 12:00
Have you considered a succession plan for your business? It’s never too early to start thinking about your options. Employee ownership is fast becoming the preferred exit route for business owners.
Aimed at business owners considering an exit from their company, this online session will give attendees the opportunity to hear market-leading IT support and solutions company Microtech Group and building supply merchants Caley Timber & Building Supplies explain what they considered in choosing employee ownership and how things have worked.
Carole Leslie from Ownership Associates will talk through all ownership succession options before focussing on employee ownership and how to ensure the employee buyout is a smooth process.
Timings:
10.05 Welcome – Glen Dott, Scottish Enterprise
10.10 Ownership Succession Options – Carole Leslie, Ownership Associates
10.35 Employee Ownership Case Study – Microtech Group
11.00 Employee Ownership Case Study – Caley Timber & Building Supplies
11.25 Support available – Glen Dott, Scottish Enterprise
11.30 Q&A
11.45 Close
Attend this workshop to learn how employee ownership offers a tax efficient exit route that protects your company’s legacy while providing a competitive price for the business. Could it be the right succession solution for you?

Build a customer focused business
2024-01-18 14:00 - 16:00
Did you know that a returning customer will typically spend more than two thirds more with your business than a brand new one?
Did you know that retaining just 5% of your customer base can give an increase of over 20% in profits for your business?
Having an effective strategy in place for your business to deliver great customer service is critical for your business.
We will cover:

Why good customer service is critical for business growth
What are the essentials of delivering great customer service and how should this be delivered?
How to effectively manage different types of customers and their expectations
How, why, and when you should measure the service a business delivers
How to use the service provided to promote a business and enable growth

Kickstart your Marketing
2024-01-18 16:00 - 18:00
The workshop will cover the basic principles of marketing, including target audience identification, competitor analysis, value proposition, and the development of marketing strategies.
The workshop will also explore the importance of measuring the success of marketing strategies and how adhering to good business practice can positively influence Customer Generated Content
Overall, this workshop is ideal for businesses – new and existing – who want to gain a solid understanding of the basics. By the end of the workshop, you should have the knowledge and skills necessary to develop and execute an effective marketing strategy for your business.

Photography for online business
2024-01-22 10:00 - 12:00
During this webinar you will:

Discover the basic ‘dos and don’ts’ of taking your own pictures, editing them and uploading them onto digital platforms.
See some real-life examples of posts that demonstrate good, bad and indifferent use for businesses.

Becoming Fearless - The Entrepreneurial Mindset
2024-01-23 09:30 - 12:00
Successful business owners know that their brains drive their business goals and results. But being a business owner can be lonely and that isolation can be demotivating, particularly when there is no one to encourage you when things are tough or to celebrate with you when things go well. Being the driving force behind your own company has the highest highs, and at times, the lowest lows.
Our Fearless workshop delves into this rollercoaster in lots of detail and aims to give you the tools you need, to enjoy the ride!
Agenda:
*Exploring the Entrepreneurial Mindset
*Talking about mental fitness for entrepreneurs
*Exploring the impact of isolation in business
*Building and nurturing your network of support
*Peer support, goals setting for success, communicating your needs, and managing your priorities

Train to become a CPD-certified Green Champion
2024-01-23 10:00 - 12:30
Rising energy costs, the climate emergency and increasing consumer pressure continue to challenge the way that businesses across Scotland manage their environmental performance.
The Green Champions online training course is already helping organisations across Scotland prepare for this challenge by providing knowledge, tried-and-tested techniques, best practice examples, and free tools and templates.
This free webinar, designed for small and medium sized enterprises, will pack the entire Green Champions foundation course into one session. Join and get the skills and knowledge that over 4,500 other professionals have already learnt through the Green Champions training course.
You’ll find out about the changing resource landscape and the growing need to be resource efficient, before learning how to gather valuable data from around your organisation to help you plan improvement projects.
You’ll also learn a range of techniques that can be used to interpret and visualise the information you have collected on your resource use, and how to use that knowledge to set realistic environmental goals for your organisation.

Inclusion and Accessibility in Travel, Tourism and Hospitality
2024-01-23 10:00 - 13:00
Experienced in successfully delivering Inclusion and Accessibility Workshops to the Scottish Travel, Tourism and Hospitality sector throughout 2022, we are pleased to be able to offer Part 1 of our workshops to all who work in this vital industry to the Scottish economy, once again.
Join us to discuss and explore inclusion and accessibility for disabled people and all in wider society, as an employer and service provider of goods and services.
+ We are Visible Inclusive Accessibility (VIA)
A social enterprise, whose aim is to help alter perspectives and in turn, breakdown the barriers disabled people face and improve experiences for all.
+ Workshops
We are pleased to be able to offer the opportunity to attend Part 1 of these workshops on: Tuesday 23rd January, between 10.00 am and 1.00 pm.
+ Aims
The aims of the workshop are to support your development through discussion and sharing practical solutions to improve experiences for all.
In the workshop we will discuss different ways in which society can view disability and the barriers (seen and unseen) which can be encountered.
Through practical discussion, we hope to increase confidence and encourage a wider perspective when considering disability, barriers and adjustments.
+ The workshop will cover

Definitions and Models of Disability
Equality Act 2010
Disability Employment Gap and landscape in Scotland
Reasonable Adjustments and Removing Barriers.

These workshops have been developed through lived experiences and we would like to encourage you to bring your own lived experience to this event.

Expression of Interest - eCommerce Trade Commission Roundtable
2024-01-23 12:00 - 15:00 | Scottish Enterprise, 99 Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh, EH12 5HD
Take a seat at our ground-breaking roundtable! The E-Commerce Trade Commission (ECT-C) – organized by the Institute of Export & International Trade (IOE&IT) is the first of its kind in the UK and aims to develop solutions that encourage small and SMEs to engage in international online trade.
What is it?
The ECT-C, launched in June, is focused on helping SMEs trade internationally online. By addressing barriers to e-commerce exporting, the Commission seeks to kick-start 70,000 more UK small businesses into exporting, contributing significantly to a £9.3 billion boost to the economy.
Who’s hosting?
IOE&IT Director General Marco Forgione will chair the session, ensuring diverse perspectives are represented. The Commission includes contributions from leading e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Alibaba, eBay, Google, Shopify and collaborating organizations like FSB, ICAEW and the Association of Courier and Express Services.
Why is it needed?
The Commission addresses the need for collaboration among key industry players and government bodies to streamline e-commerce processes. The Department for Business & Trade will be part of the Commission, facilitating direct communication with HMG policymakers in Partnership with Scottish Development International

The conscious communicator: utilising the foundations of motivational intelligence to build people and relationships
2024-01-23 13:00 - 14:00
Motivational Intelligence (MQ) plays a crucial role in shaping our resilience and drive to succeed and find happiness, regardless of our circumstances.
It involves nurturing an attitude that embraces trust, gratitude, grit, service, kindness, and the strength to act and communicate with integrity.
Individuals possessing high MQ are sources of hope, inspiring excellence in others. When charged with inspiration, communication has the power to reignite the sense of self-worth in those who have forgotten their intrinsic value and worth.
Come along and hear insights on how you can bring this to life in your work and life.

Business Finance Viability
2024-01-23 16:00 - 18:00
Led by experienced advisers, this webinar takes the fear out of finances, providing practical tools and guidance to help you confidently manage your business’s budgeting and forecasting. You’ll learn how to identify the hidden costs of running your business, including the cost of hiring staff, maintaining stock levels, and other crucial expenses.
Through a series of engaging exercises, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of your business’s financial viability, helping you make informed decisions about its future growth and success. Whether you’re a new entrepreneur or have been in business for a couple of years, this webinar is tailored to your needs, providing you with the knowledge and skills to take your business to the next level.
Don’t let financial worries hold you back from realizing your business’s full potential. Sign up for the Business Finance Viability webinar today and discover how to confidently manage your business’s financial health!

How to write and develop your business plan
2024-01-23 18:00 - 20:00
New and established businesses will require a business plan for getting a loan, grant or just to consider the direction they wish to go in. This webinar will teach you what you need to include and how. We will walk you through what should be included within a business plan, how a business plan is used to improve your prospects for a loan or a grant, and how you can develop a business plan to meet your needs.
We will:

Provide a structure for a business plan
Review each section of what should be included within the business plan
Explain when and how to use a business plan
Explore the connections (and importance) between the words and the numbers
Look at how to identify and manage cashflow within the business planning process

Fair Work Workshop
2024-01-24 09:30 - 12:30
Fair Work is an investment in everyone, for everyone. It can improve productivity, innovation, organisational reputation and recruitment. It can also reduce staff turnover and help create inclusive workplaces with a richness of talent and a diversity of ideas.
For staff, Fair Work can increase financial security, physical health and psychological wellbeing. For businesses, it brings more engaged, committed and adaptable workers who spot challenges and opportunities, solve problems, offer insight and ideas for business improvement, and create value.
What’s the event about?
This is a fully funded programme which will help participating companies to:

Understand the benefits of fair work (for both the business and its staff)
Develop an action plan to embed or improve current people practices
Prioritise and take next steps to implementing an action plan

The type of projects and actions that could result from a fair work action plan include:

Improving people and fair work practices
Skills, leadership and management development
Creating a positive culture and values-based approach
Improving employee engagement and supporting performance management practices

Cruise business seminar 2024
2024-01-24 09:30 - 12:30 | Doubletree by Hilton, North Queensferry, St Margarets Head, North Queensferry, KY11 1HP
In 2024, over 160 cruise ship visits will take place, involving over 200,000 passengers and crew. Not only will cruise ship passengers be on “day visits”, many will be beginning or ending their cruise on the Forth or the Tay, and will require accommodation or other services. Some ships stay overnight.
Are you already a cruise friendly business, operating within 90 minutes of the ports of Leith, Newhaven, South Queensferry, Rosyth or Dundee (and even Greenock)? If you would like to know more about the opportunities, or believe you have something to offer, then this seminar is for you.
The event is organised by award winning CruiseForth, a project that is entering its second decade, and will be attended by cruise excursion representatives.
Please register you interest as soon as possible, and by 8th January at the latest by sending an email to info@cruiseforth.com. The organisers normally only allows one representative per organisation.

Planning & scheduling your online content
2024-01-24 10:00 - 12:00
Businesses who plan their content in advance, aligning their channels with actual business objectives, customer themes and national events, and then schedule it to ensure it reaches the target market at the right time, on the right platform – hugely increase the chances of achieving impact.
In this webinar, you will learn how to:

Plan content based on your business and your customer needs
Evaluate current social media dashboards and management tools
Create a social media content calendar and schedule updates automatically
Reach more people through automating your blog and email newsletter content
Implement simple automation techniques to increase efficiency

Having great content is just the start. This webinar will help you better organise and setup your content strategy through simple planning and effective scheduling, to achieve great business results.

Commercialisation with Data and AI
2024-01-24 10:00 - 12:30 | Scottish Enterprise, 99 Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh, EH12 5HD
Join this session, organised by Scottish Enterprise in collaboration with Effini, on data and commercialisation.
This is the second workshop in a series aimed at helping business to understand how data and AI could benefit their business. This session is aimed at SMEs who want to learn, gain an understanding of, and overcome challenges associated with data. This session will bring together the opportunities that data and AI can bring to your business. We’ll consider;

How data and AI can be a revenue source
Common approaches
Building a strong data foundation for scalability
Common blockers (and ways to overcome them)

These workshops are designed to help you understand the basics of data and AI, and how they can benefit your business.
Attendees will learn from experts in the field, who will guide them through practical exercises and real-world examples. The tone and format of the sessions is friendly and informative. You’ll also get the opportunity to network with other SMEs and share experiences and challenges.
The workshops are suitable for SMEs from any sector or industry. They are aimed at businesses that are keen to understand how data and AI could help their business.
The workshops are delivered in person at Scottish Enterprise’s offices in Edinburgh, in a flexible and interactive format.
Ideally, it is recommended that you attend all four of the sessions. This will enable you to leave the final session with actions to take away for implementation within your business.
Following the session, there will be opportunities to discuss any plans on a one-to-one basis with specialists from Scottish Enterprises Digital Transformation team.

Peer Lunch & Learn
2024-01-24 12:00 - 14:00 | Michelin Innovation Parc, Baldovie Road, Dundee, DD4 8UQ
The emerging revolution of Industry 5.0 sees businesses using technology to enhance workplace processes and increase business resilience whilst respecting our people and planet.
Automating processes can help to free up time for innovative thinking and allow time to deliver improved value-based services. It would also allow workers to become more agile and flexible in their workplace approach.
But how can we get organisations to embrace this new concept going forward?
In this session we will hear from organisations that have adopted this new approach. We will hear their stories of how innovation and digital transformation have inspired performance and boosted productivity.
Whether you are new to this concept or are already welcoming new technologies within your business, we hope that these events will allow you to come together with other businesses and share ideas and new ways of thinking about business processes.

Instagram for business
2024-01-24 14:00 - 16:00
Thinking about using Instagram to communicate with existing and potential customers? Want to showcase your products or services using it? During this webinar we will cover:

Getting the setup right and benefitting from the available business tools.
Best practice profiles, and some strategies to help your business stand out from the crowd.
The types of audience you can reach via this platform and the factors and analytics such as cost and timing of posting images and how that can maximise impact.
The various types of content you can post to Instagram, from regular posts to Stories and Reels.

The basics of trading on eBay, Etsy and Amazon Marketplaces
2024-01-25 10:00 - 12:00
As a consumer, you’ve almost certainly purchased online from one of the global marketplaces such as eBay, Etsy or Amazon, so why wouldn’t your customers do the same and buy from you?
We will cover:

Why to sell via a Marketplace, your own website, or both
Choosing the right Marketplace – looking specificly at eBay, Etsy and Amazon

Understanding Profit Margins and how Marketplace fees affect them

An overview of some of the rules and regulations enforced by these platforms
Trading internationally – what’s possible?

You’ll leave with a better understanding of how online marketplaces can help you reach your target audience, which marketplace is best for you, and how to get started selling quickly and easily.

Funding Socials: Meet Funders, Find New Resources & Connect with Your Peers
2024-01-25 10:30 - 13:00 | The Circle, Dunhope Castle, Dundee, DD3 6HF
Funding Socials is an inspiring in-person event series designed for charity and social enterprise leaders looking for fresh ideas and connections to help boost income generation.
At this Funding Social in Dundee, Social Investment Scotland will be joined by The National Lottery Community Fund and the Circle. We will be highlighting opportunities to boost your funding and resources and aim to give your income generation the kick start it needs to get going in 2024!
You will hear from Kirsty Thomson, CEO of The Circle CIC, about her experience of developing new income streams including taking on social investment.
Jane Bruce, Founder of Brilliant Leaders, will facilitate the event including leading you through a short group exercise in the middle of the session, aimed at helping you think through your current challenges around income generation and generate new ideas with the support of your peers.
Eddie Baines, Funding Officer for the North East at The National Lottery Community Fund and Kieran Daly of Social Investment Scotland will explain the funds they offer charities and be ready to answer any questions you have.
The session will close with a light lunch, where you will have the chance to mix with the funders and your peers and make some new connections.

How to start a business: The basics
2024-01-25 14:00 - 16:00
Whatever your reasons may be for considering being your own boss, Business Gateway is here to support you and help you decide if this is the right path for you. Helping you consider your plans from exploring your potential customers to looking at the key activities and costs involved.
We will cover:

Personal finance planning – how much do you need to earn?
Researching your market – who your customers are, understanding your competition and what the trends are within your chosen field
Business structure – what are the core business structures? How to decide which is right for you and how to register as a business
Creating your start-up action plan – an outline
Marketing
Pricing
Naming the business
Basic bookkeeping
Forecasting
Financing, banking, insurance, and VAT
Tax

Build an effective strategy to grow your business
2024-01-26 09:30 - 11:30
This webinar is practical, outcome driven, and designed to fit with the needs of small businesses in both B2C and B2B environments. It will help you develop a strategically led approach that can turbo charge business growth, identify the core growth strategy(ies) that are right for your business, and develop an action plan.
We will look at:

Your business today – identifying your strengths and areas for development
The key pillars of a business and why balancing all areas is essential for success
Personal and business ambitions and using these to guide strategy development
Ansoff’s Matrix as a tool for identifying core growth strategies
The core components of your business delivery
How to develop a methodical, strategic approach to developing your business for future success

After the webinar, you will understand:

How to undertake a balanced review of where your business is that helps identify areas for development
Ansoff’s Matrix and how to use it as a core strategic planning tool
How to create a strategic plan for growing your business

The essentials of bookkeeping and what expenses you can claim
2024-01-26 14:00 - 16:00
This webinar is for those who are entering business for the first time or require an understanding of what is involved in financially managing a business, including basic bookkeeping, and creating a profit and loss account. You will also get an understanding of what expenses the business can claim and then how to fund your business. At the end of the session, you will receive a workbook on excel to help you manage and monitor costs and sales.
At the end of this session, you will be able to:

Implement basic bookkeeping skills across your business
Create a profit and loss account
Understand what expenses can and cannot be claimed
Use financial management to increase revenues and profits
Understand capital and revenue costs and how they are treated

Build your brand and promotional graphics
2024-01-29 11:00 - 13:00
This webinar will define what a brand is (and is not) and explain how it is more than just creating a logo. We will explore how a business can use their brand to show its identity, purpose, personality, message, and values in order to stand out from competitors, build a loyal customer base and make more sales.
This session will:

Provide you with a clear understanding of the difference between brands and branding
Help you understand what a brand is
Show you why branding is important
Look at your brand strategy, brand identity and action
Help you learn how to develop your brand’s positioning, character, and purpose to differentiate your business from its competitors
Demonstrate how to set up a brand kit and style guide to ensure consistency across websites, social media, business cards, posters etc.
Teach you how to create simple promotional graphics using a variety of tools including Canva
Highlight a variety of free tools including Google Drive, Hubspot and Mailchimp that can save time and simplify marketing tasks

e-Commerce with Shopify
2024-01-29 14:00 - 16:00
Shopify is a powerful all-in-one e-Commerce website builder that makes setting up an online store simple and straightforward. In this webinar, we will explore Shopify’s features and pull together the building blocks for your first e-Commerce website.
By the end of this webinar, you will be able to:

Understand the essential features that a website needs to have to sell physical and digital products online
Understand what Shopify is and how to use the features it offers to build a secure and powerful e-Commerce website
Use the Shopify page builder and work with free themes to get the design and style of your website on-brand
Understand how to manage orders and deliver great customer service
Understand how to launch your new e-Commerce website and ensure all essential building blocks are in place using a pre-launch checklist

Delivering profit to drive growth
2024-01-29 14:00 - 16:00
The course covers financial analysis, strategic decision-making, resource allocation, and the role of innovation and scalability in leveraging profit for long-term success.
This course explores the relationship between a company’s profitability and its potential for growth. Participants will learn how to optimise profits and strategically reinvest them to foster sustainable growth. The course covers financial analysis, strategic decision-making, resource allocation, and the role of innovation and scalability in leveraging profit for long-term success.
The course will cover

Getting to know your financials
Controlling Growth
Improving decision making
Opportunities
Cash is king
Controlling Change
Pricing strategies for maximum profit
Measuring profit
